Regional Maritime Training: Ghana has taken over leadership of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) Board of Governors, with Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe pledging stronger governance and fixes for infrastructure, tenure and funding gaps to position RMU as a top maritime training hub for Africa’s blue economy. West Africa Governance & Security: Political science experts warn the region risks sliding into a “coup cycle” as weak democratic institutions, economic hardship and insecurity erode trust in civilian rule—raising fears of contagion beyond the Sahel. Chimp Communication Research (Guinea-Bissau link): New primate studies describe chimp “drumming” as long-distance communication, including documented stone-throwing “rock music” in Guinea-Bissau that researchers say may reflect complex culture. Ocean Conservation & Research Funding: The Our Ocean Conference in Kenya ended with $6.4bn in pledges and hundreds of commitments, including marine protected areas, fisheries monitoring, climate finance and support for scientific research—plus calls to turn pledges into action. Guinea Industrial Tech Push: Guinea’s planning minister says the country is shifting from exporting raw materials to local transformation, citing Simandou’s integrated mining, rail and port plan as a model for industrialization and intra-African trade. Tax Tech for Development: West African finance officials urge stronger tax collection and regional cooperation to fund infrastructure and services, noting digitalisation and cross-border flows are making tax systems harder to manage.